BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Wisconsin’s sixth Big Ten loss, which left Greg Gard’s team mired in fifth place with three games remaining before the league tournament, looked and felt like the first five.

The game, against an Indiana team that was 1-12 in its previous 13 games, was there to be won.

In regulation.

In the first overtime.

In the second overtime.

But UW, which had flourished late in victories over Michigan, Maryland and six other league foes, missed too many layups, free throws and open three-pointers and eventually fell in two overtimes, 75-73, Tuesday at Assembly Hall.

“We did a great job coming back,” Gard said, referring to the 13-point deficit his team overcame in the second half to force the first overtime. “But there were opportunities, specifically finishing in the paint. We had chances to extend or take the lead.

“We’ve won a lot of close games, too. We've won more than we lost. You look on the bright side of it and we've been extremely competitive with everyone we've stepped on the floor with.

“This one we weren't able to close out.”

The loss left UW in a precarious in the chase for a top-four finish.

UW (19-9, 11-6 Big Ten) missed an opportunity to tie idle Maryland (21-7, 12-5) for fourth place and instead dropped a full game behind the Terrapins.

Both teams are battling to secure a double-bye in the Big Ten tournament.

The Badgers host Penn State on Saturday and then sixth-place Iowa (21-7, 10-7) next Thursday. The Hawkeyes suffered a 90-70 loss at Ohio State on Tuesday.

UW missed 42 of its 69 shots in the loss to the Hoosiers, including 16 of 22 three-point attempts, and 12 of 25 free-throw attempts.

Happ and Khalil Iverson combined to make 16 of 29 shots. Their teammates were a combined 11 of 40.

You want missed chances?

Consider just the second overtime.

The Hoosiers missed their first four shots, two from the lane and two three-point attempts.

The Badgers failed to take advantage because they missed all three field-goal attempts and made just 2 of 8 free-throw attempts in the first 3 minutes 59 seconds of the extra period.

“We just missed free throws,” said Trice, who hit 6 of 9 free throws. “I don’t know if it was a lack of focus. I wouldn’t say that. It’s just something we’ve got to continue to work on.”

The ugliest sequence came with the Hoosiers clinging to a 71-70 lead after Trice made 1 of 2 free throws with 1:37 left. After a turnover by the Hoosiers, Happ missed in the lane. After Nate Reuvers blocked a shot, Iverson missed a lay-in.

Later, after Trice made three free throws to forge a 73-73 tie, he missed a switch on defense, which allowed Romeo Langford a lane to the basket and the freshman scored with eight-tenths of a second left.

The loss no doubt left the UW players studying all the missed chances throughout the game.

That was the case in home losses to Minnesota, Purdue and Michigan State and road losses to Maryland and Michigan.

“We’ve finished a lot of them out, more than we haven’t,” Gard said. “You try not to make it close game. You try to extend a lead. Finish better.

"Have a higher shooting percentage in the paint each half an then you’re not in those positions where you’re scratching and clawing and trying to find other ways to manufacture points.”